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Torah 101-Vaetchanan Portion

I. ANSWERS TO LAST WEEKS STUDY QUESTIONS (from
Devarim)


1) Question for Deuteronomy 1:

How do details in this chapter help support the candidacy of Jebel al-Lawz in
Saudi Arabia as the real Mount Sinai?
ACHAD ASAR YOM (1:2) = 11 day journey, from Mount Sinai to Kadesh
Barnea. This is a very important clue. Although I have been finding a lot of
great debate pro and con for Jebel al Lawz, most who are against it seem to be
using it as a way to discredit Ron Wyatt, whom many believe did not give
accurate information. For me personally, I think Wyatt had a mixed career
that was dead on accurate with some things and misguided on others, but this
is history and archaeology we are talking about, not personal vendettas.
Jebel al Lawz is about 150 miles from Kadesh Barnea. One source against its
candidacy declared it impossible to march that far, searching for water, in 11
days. However, I strongly disagree, because of course YHWH is GUIDING
THEM by divine means, day and night, to get them to the mountain. Also
Moshe has been there before and would know the best route back. YHWH
would not put the Israelites into doubt and hardship on their way to get the
Ten Commandments.

Even slowly walking, its 4 miles an hour. Walk even just 6 hours a day, 24
miles a day, and by day 11 you have done 264 miles. Okay so they will rest
on Shabbat, so its 10 walking days times 24 = 240 miles. Walk just one more
hour7 hours a dayand you will reach Jebel al Lawz on day 8, including
not moving on Shabbat. This is more than doablethere may be a lot of side
issues that need discussing to prove all things absolutely, but this issue is far
from a deal breaker.

Others say its 350 miles from Rameses to the Gulf of Aqaba crossing of the
Sea of Reeds and therefore impossible for Israel to get there that soon. Once
again though, they could have. The only certain time marker we have is that
they are out of Elim by 15 Iyar, so one month after the Exodus.

They left Egypt on a Friday night (March 22
nd
) under YHWHs express
command to be freed from bondage on the Shabbat. After that they would
have rested on Shabbat in absence of a command to do otherwise and they
could travel during Friday day. This eliminates March 29, April 5 and April
12 as travel days, leaving us 24 travel days. Going SLOWLY, lets say again
4 miles an hour, 6 hours a day, 24 miles a day. 24 x 24 = 576 miles. I only
need 350. Lets take down the speed to 3 miles an hour, 6 hours a day = 18
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miles a day. 18 x 24 walking days = 432 miles, so a tad slow. Add just one
more hour of walking through though and it works again: 7 hours a day x 3
miles an hour = 21 miles/day. 21 x 24 walking days = 504 miles. We may
not have this totally solved yet, but the critics of Jebel al lawz have not done
their math!

2) Question for Deuteronomy 2:

What is the total period of time documented throughout the Torah and
confirmed in this chapter for the interval between Exodus and the start of the
entrance into Canaan?
VE-HA-YAMIM ASHER HALACHANU MI-KADESH BARNEA AD-
ASHER AVARNU ET-NICHAL ZERED SHLOSHIM USHMONEH AD-
TOM KOL-HA-DOR ANSHEY HA-MILCHAMAH MIKEREV HA-
MACHANEH KA-ASHER NISHBAH YAHWEH LAHEM (2:14) = From
the time that we left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Zered Brook, 38
years had passed during which the generation of warriors had died out from
the camp, as Yahweh had sworn. This confirms the overall timeline of 42
years from Exodus to the Jericho campaign.

The math is simple. The spies came back with a bad report 2 full years after
Exodus (Numbers 1:1, 9:1) or into year 3 if you prefer. It takes 38 years from
that event in Kadesh-Barnea to cross the Brook of Zered, which is confirmed
as the 40
th
year after Exodus (Numbers 20:1, 33:38).

Then, when Deuteronomy opens (1:3) it is still 11 months after that, followed
by Moshes death and mourning for him for another 30 days (Deuteronomy
34:8), ending the 12
th
month by that time.

That brings us to the completion of year 40 and the start of year 41, but this is
only 39 years completed of a 40 year curse leveled in Numbers 14, so Joshua
now must wait another year before attacking Jericho that next spring. Total:
42 years.

3) Question for Deuteronomy 3:
Why doesnt Moshe emphasize the specific idolatrous sins of Israel when
summing up the last 40 years?

As the editors of Stone Chumash rightly point out, Moshes overall point is to
warn Israel that if their fathers sinned when the signs and wonders of YHWH
were present all the time, how could a new generation who never saw any of
this fare any better? Nevertheless, Moshe doesnt want to offend those
listening who were born after much of the apostasy had happened. For those
who were alive from that time, just mentioning the place names was enough
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of a rebukesome rabbis think Moshe named some of those places after the
sins that took place there. For those who were not there, a broad recap was
fine, so long as they were taught later about the sins of their fathers.

4) Haftorah Question of the Week: Isaiah 1:1-28

Which NT writer seems to draw the most on the themes in Yeshayahu (Isaiah)
chapter 1? I will give you my opinion.

I believe this chapter is most discussed by Yaakov ha Tzadik, or James
the Just. I tracked the following concordances

Isaiah chapter 1 Epistle of Yaakov Common Themes
17
Learn to do good, search
for justice, discipline the
violent, be just to the
orphan, plead for the
widow.


(Jas 1:27) For the worship
that is pure and Set Apart
before Elohim the Father, is
this: to visit the fatherless
and the widows in their
affliction; and: that one
keep himself without
blemish from the world.

Defend the helpless and
disadvantaged as examples
of proper faith and fruits of
the Ruach.

22
Your silver has turned
into dross, your wine is
watered.


23
Your princes are rebels,
accomplices of brigands.
All of them greedy for
presents and eager for
bribes, they show no justice
to the orphan, and the
widow's cause never
reaches them.

24
Hence, the Lord Yahweh
Sabaoth, the Mighty One of
Israel, says this, 'Disaster, I
shall get the better of my
enemies, I shall avenge
myself on my foes.

5
Where shall I strike you
next, if you persist in
treason? The whole head is
sick, the whole heart is
(Jas 2:5) Hear, my beloved
Brothers; has not Elohim
chosen the poor of the
world, the rich in faith, to
be heirs in the Kingdom
which Elohim has promised
to them that love him?

(Jas 2:6) But you have
despised the poor man. Do
not rich men exalt
themselves over you and
drag you before the
tribunals?

(Jas 2:7) Do they not hate
that worthy Name,
6
which
is invoked upon you?

(Jas 5:1) O you rich ones,
wail and weep on account
of the miseries that are
coming upon you.

Dont trust the rich and
powerful as they exploit the
poor for their own greedy
ends.
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diseased,


6
from the sole of the foot
to the head there is nothing
healthy: only wounds,
bruises and open sores not
dressed, not bandaged, not
soothed with ointment,


7
your country a desolation,
your towns burnt down,
your soil, foreigners lay it
waste before your eyes, a
desolation like devastation
by foreigners.


8
The daughter of Zion is
left like a shanty in a
vineyard, like a shed in a
cucumber field, like a city
besieged.


9
Had Yahweh Sabaoth not
left us a few survivors, we
should be like Sodom, we
should be the same as
Gomorrah.


(Jas 5:2) For your wealth is
spoiled and rotten; and your
garments are moth-eaten:

(Jas 5:3) and your gold and
your silver have rusted
through; and the rust of
them will be a testimony
against you; and it will
devour your flesh. You
have heaped up a fire to you
against the latter days.

(Jas 5:4) Behold, the wages
of the laborers who have
reaped your ground, which
you have criminally
withheld, shouts out; and
the shouting of the reapers
has entered the ears of
Master YHWH Tzva'ot.




20
But if you refuse and
rebel, the sword shall eat
you instead -- for Yahweh's
mouth has spoken.'

25
'I shall turn my hand
against you, I shall purge
your dross as though with
potash, I shall remove all
your alloy.



(Jas 3:14) But if bitter envy
be in you, or contention in
your hearts, do not exalt
yourselves against the truth
and do not lie.

(Jas 3:15) For this wisdom
comes not down from
above; but is earthly, and
from the devices of the soul,
and from demons.

(Jas 3:16) For where envy
and disputation are, there
also is confusion and
everything wrong.
Rebellion leads to
condemnation.
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10
Hear what Yahweh says,
you rulers of Sodom; listen
to what our God teaches,
you people of Gomorrah.


11
'What are your endless
sacrifices to me?' says
Yahweh. 'I am sick of burnt
offerings of rams and the fat
of calves. I take no pleasure
in the blood of bulls and
lambs and goats.


12
When you come and
present yourselves before
me, who has asked you to
trample through my courts?


13
Bring no more futile
cereal offerings, the smoke
from them fills me with
disgust. New Moons,
Sabbaths, assemblies -- I
cannot endure solemnity
combined with guilt.


14
Your New Moons and
your meetings I utterly
detest; to me they are a
burden I am tired of
bearing.



(Jas 2:14) What is the use,
my Brothers, if a man say,
"I have faith," and he has no
works? Can his "faith"
resurrect him?
7


(Jas 2:15) Or if a brother or
sister be naked, and
destitute of daily food,

(Jas 2:16) and one of you
say to them, "Go in peace,
warm yourselves, and be
full;" and you do not give
them the necessities of the
body, what is the use?

(Jas 2:17) So also faith
alone, without works, is
dead.

(Jas 2:18) For a man may
say, you have faith and I
have works; show to me
your faith that is without
works and I will show to
you my faith by my works.

(Jas 2:19) You believe that
there is one Elohim; you do
well; the demons also
believe and tremble.

(Jas 2:20) Would you
know, O weak man, that
faith without works is dead?

(Jas 2:21) Awraham our
father, was not he justified
by works
8
in offering his
son Yitz'chak
9
upon the
altar?

Faith without works is dead.
Works without faith is
meaningless.
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(Jas 2:22) Do you realize
that his faith aided his
works, and that by the
works his faith was
rendered complete?

2
Listen, you heavens; earth,
attend, for Yahweh is
speaking, 'I have reared
children and brought them
up, but they have rebelled
against me.


3
The ox knows its owner
and the donkey its master's
crib; Israel does not know,
my people do not
understand.'


4
Disaster, sinful nation,
people weighed down with
guilt, race of wrong-doers,
perverted children! They
have abandoned Yahweh,
despised the Holy One of
Israel, they have turned
away from him.

15
When you stretch out
your hands I turn my eyes
away. You may multiply
your prayers, I shall not be
listening. Your hands are
covered in blood.

(Jas 2:10) For he that will
keep the whole Torah and
yet fail in one aspect of it, is
an enemy to the whole
Torah.

(Jas 2:11) For he who said,
"You will not commit
adultery,"
Exo 20:14, Deu 5:18

said also, "You will not
kill."
Exo 20:13, Deu 5:17
If then
you commit no adultery, but
you do murder, you have
become a defiler of Torah.

(Jas 4:1) From where is it,
that there are among you
arguments and conflicts? Is
it not from the lusts which
war in your members?

(Jas 4:2) You covet but do
not possess; and you kill
and envy, and effect
nothing: and you fight and
make attacks; and you do
not have, because you do
not ask.

(Jas 4:3) You ask, and do
not receive because you ask
wickedly, that you may feed
your lusts.

(Jas 4:4) You adulterers,
don't you know that the love
of the world is hatred
towards Elohim? He
therefore who chooses to be
a lover of this world is the
The world is full of blind
and rebellious people who
will cheat and kill because
of their wickedness.
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enemy of Elohim.

(Jas 4:5) Or do you think
that the Scripture has vainly
said: The spirit dwelling in
us lusts with envy?


16
wash, make yourselves
clean. Take your wrong-
doing out of my sight.
Cease doing evil.

(Jas 1:21) And so, throw all
that is defiled and the
myriads of evil things far
away from yourselves and
with meekness, receive the
Word that is implanted in
our nature which is able to
resurrect your souls.

You must cleanse yourself
from all sin.
19
If you are willing to obey,
you shall eat the good
things of the earth.

(Jas 1:25) But everyone
that looks upon the perfect
Torah of liberty and lives
fully in it, is not a hearer of
something to be forgotten,
but a doer
5
of the things;
and he will be blessed in his
work.

Obedience to YHWHs
laws brings blessings and
prosperity.
26
'And I shall restore your
judges as at first, your
counselors as in bygone
days, after which you will
be called City of Saving
Justice, Faithful City.'

27
Zion will be redeemed by
fair judgment, and those
who return, by saving
justice.
(Jas 2:13) For judgment
without mercy will be on
him who has practiced no
mercy: by mercy, you will
be raised above judgment.

(Jas 4:6) But our Master
(Y'shua) has given us more
grace. Therefore he said:
Master YHWH brings low
the arrogant, and gives
grace to the humble.

Abba YHWH will provide
restoration and proper
judgment in all things.
21
The faithful city, what a
harlot she has become!
Zion, once full of fair
judgment, where saving
justice used to dwell, but
now assassins!

(Jas 5:5) For you have
lived in pleasure on the
earth, and reveled and
feasted your bodies as in a
day of slaughter.

(Jas 5:6) You have
For those whom Abba
YHWH had the greatest
hope for bringing light and
doing good, they have now
become murderers and
harlots.
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condemned and murdered
the just, and none prevented
you.

18
'Come, let us talk this
over,' says Yahweh.
'Though your sins are like
scarlet, they shall be white
as snow; though they are
red as crimson, they shall be
like wool.

(Jas 3:13) Who is wise and
instructed among you? Let
him show his works in
praiseworthy actions, with
modest wisdom.

(Jas 4:8) Draw near to
Elohim and He will draw
near to you. Cleanse your
hands, you sinners: sanctify
your hearts, you who are
divided in mind.
19


(Jas 4:10) Humble
yourselves before Master
YHWH and He will exalt
you.
Engage Abba YHWH in
sincere dialogue, as those
who are wise always do, to
examine and improve
themselves. Then He will
forgive and restore you.


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II. QUESTIONS FOR THIS TORAH PORTION (Vaetchanan)

Please NOTE:

For clarity and time constraints, if I elect to not read the whole parsha (which
is the case this week) I may still ask questions relating to the portions I did not
read!

5) Question for Deuteronomy 3:22-4:49:

This part of the parsha contains a command not to add to the words that are
being spoken. How do we reconcile this command with the fact that there are
34 other Tanakh books and 27 more NT books that will add words to this
Scripture, in addition to about 30 more chapters of added words in
Deuteronomy?

6) Question for Deuteronomy 5:

What is the difference between Abba YHWH being jealous and the human
variety of that emotion?

7) Question for Deuteronomy 6:1-7:11:

What Hebrew phrase here does Yshua repeat nearly verbatim in his Aramaic
language?

8) Haftorah Question of the Week: Isaiah 40:1-26

What Hebrew phrase here is replicated by another NT figure in their Aramaic
dialect and who is that person?

9) Renewed Covenant Commentary: Matthew 4:1-11

Matthew 4:4

37) Y'shua declares that he himself, along with all of mankind, is required to
live by the "Words" of YHWH, and that the Commandments Y'shua teaches
are in fact YHWH's Commandments from Torah. However, Greek/English
translators inserted the title Kurios/Lord, for both YHWH and Y'shua, rather
than using original Names. Christian theologians then began teaching the
fallacy that their "New Testaments" were the "new" Word, or new
"Commandments of Y'shua" that replaced the original Word of YHWH,
which is Torah. See Joh_8:36 (Joh_8:47); Joh_12:48-50; Joh_13:34;
Joh_14:10-21; 1Jn_2:3-8; 2Jn_1:5-6.

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38) Deu_8:3

Matthew 4:5

39) Khabouris has Akelqarza as one word (as does Mat_8:11) whereas 1905
uses the separated spelling Akel Qarza. There is no difference in meaning; the
1905 spelling convention is preferred. This is the general rule that will be
followed, including Mat_4:19 where 1905 combines benayanash whereas
Khabouris separates them. Mat_6:1 reverses these choices on this phrase
proving either form interchangeable.

40) A dark foreshadowing of the martyrdom of Ya'akov HaTsaddiq (James
the Just) brother of Y'shua. Ya'akov, who routinely prayed at the Temple to
ask YHWH's forgiveness for the sins of his people, was highly regarded for
his meekness, devotion and service to the Jewish people. It was said that
Ya'akov had camel's knees because he very often prayed while on his knees.
He was ultimately thrown off the top of the Temple by demonized religious
fanatics because of his allegiance to Y'shua Mashiyach. Ya'akov taught that
Y'shua is the Arm of YHWH revealed, and he refused to renounce his belief
in Y'shua Mashiyach. Origen criticized Josephus for attributing the fall of
Jerusalem to the martyrdom of Ya'akov, rather than to Y'shua.